Driving - Basic Common Sense.

[marksteven]

Originally Posted by GregK

What part of *put your headlights on in the fog* don't people understand!!!!??????

Well, there are idiots that arent smart enough to put their headlights on at nite too! I drive for a living, i'm on the road daily and can give you a ton of stupid things poeple do while operating
3500lb. vehicles.

[Lauri & The Gang]

Originally Posted by Lilie

I walk to the back of my truck and say " I'm sorry, I can't hear you!" and cup my hand around my ear. The woman is now looking down so she doesn't have to see me. The man continues to honk and is mouthing something. "I can't hear you!" "What?" "I can't hear you!" "What?" He finally went around me.

I LOVE it!! Kill 'em with kindness (or better yet, tick them off with feigned incomprehension).

I love it when people give me the 1 finger salute for doing something stupid, like driving the speed limit. I just smile and wave back at them. I think it makes them madder than a hornets nest on spin cycle!!

[GregK]

Originally Posted by marksteven

Well, there are idiots that arent smart enough to put their headlights on at nite too!

Oh I've seen that too....unbelievable!!!

[Dainerra]

Originally Posted by Lilie

Honestly, I've wondered if some folks are used to a vehicle that has lights that come on automatically, then they drive a vehicle (spouse, childs) that the lights are manual.

actually, as a police officer, my husband pulled over more than a few drivers who didn't realize that they needed to turn ON their headlights. The car had daytime running lights so they thought that was all there was. No tail lights, no bright/dim switch.
They were actually amazed when he told them that they could actually turn on headlights for driving at night.

[Dainerra]

Originally Posted by Good_Karma

Oh my gosh, this is my only complaint about the Nissan Juke. We went from a Silverado that had daytime running lights to the Juke that just has a sensor for dim light. But there are times when I would have the lights on (intermittent wipers and so on) but the Juke doesn't think it is dark enough.

the purpose of the sensor isn't to help YOU see. It is to insure that in dim light your vehicle is more visible to others. So, you may need headlights (rain, fog, etc) when there is actually enough ambient light that the sensor won't kick on.

Since my husband's time as a PO, I can tell you that I HATE daytime running lights simply for that reason. A huge section of the population don't understand that they are NOT headlights nor are they intended to help you see.

[GregK]

Originally Posted by Dainerra

I can tell you that I HATE daytime running lights simply for that reason. A huge section of the population don't understand that they are NOT headlights nor are they intended to help you see.

Apparently there is several different ways these are set up.

In my 02 GMC pickup, the daytime running lights are amber and small, like fog lights. They're not going to help me see. They're there to help others see me!

Same thing on my wife's 05 Malibu but they're white not amber...BUT, with this car the sensor will turn on the headlights AND tail lights.

I know the cars you speak of. I believe the daytime running light are actually the headlights but NOT the tail lights. I’ve come up on these guys on the highway with no tails lights in the pitch dark but the headlights are on.....not a good set up.

[Draugr]

For some reason the last two weeks seems to have really brought out all the terrible drivers here. In a state where 5-10mph over is considered the "real" speed limit by practice (in that police won't pull you over for that, and traffic flow on any given road is typically that pace), it is absolutely infuriating to get stuck behind someone going 10mph under. Sometimes it is worse.

No turn signals is a huge pet peeve of mine. Blargh. But what bothers me even more is when people start slowing down, slowing down, slowing down, then when they are going about 20mph, only THEN do they turn on their turn signal. You signal, THEN begin to slow. I nearly hit someone's driver's side door once because of that - they were already driving extremely erratically, slowing down and speeding up (and no, I wasn't tailgating - I don't ever do that, it's another pet peeve), never more than 45mph, so once I got to a passing zone I started to go around - lucky for them I caught the turn signal in time.

Tailgating is another huge pet peeve of mine. No, poop-for-brains, riding three inches off my bumper isn't going to make me speed up. It makes me slow down. I just set cruise control and start tapping the "set" button to drop my speed 1mph at a time. I usually have to drop down to about 40-45mph (from 60-62mph) before they get the message. And then a mile later down the road, after backing way off, they'll finally get the message. I had someone riding my bumper so close once at night (when I was driving, again, about 60mph) that I didn't know they were tailgating for about three miles. I thought they'd turned off, but no, they were just so **** close the back of my truck was blocking their headlights.

I've done "brake checks" before too when people ride that close.

[stealthq]

Originally Posted by Draugr

I've done "brake checks" before too when people ride that close.

I've been tempted to do that numerous times, but am too afraid the tailgater is going to end up in my trunk.

The biggest problem I've been running into lately are the people who have no respect for lanes. Left hand turn from the farthest right lane on a four lane street? No problem. No turn signal, either. Driving on a major highway at 80 mph and feel like shooting into the leftmost lane from the rightmost lane? Go for it. It's not like you need to check for other traffic and the many speed demons that are traveling a good 15-20 mph faster than you. This is why I can never drive on 45, 75, 30, 35, or the Tollroad and expect to not pass (or witness) an accident along the way.

[Liesje]

I don't even put my van in gear unless the lights are on and seatbelts buckled.

[marksteven]

Originally Posted by Liesje

I don't even put my van in gear unless the lights are on and seatbelts buckled.

Smart move, i wont drive unbelted and my vehicles have DRL and auto headlights. When i climb into the Semi in the morn. the lights are turned on until i park it at the end of my shift. Today we had 8" of nasty slick snow. it was tough going for everyone. I got behind some young guy driving a piece of crap car. he was driving 10 mph, weaving all over the road, but low and behold, he demonstrated excellent control of his cellular device. it never left his ear